Comments on: Is the “Hummer Tax” the Answer?

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:54:02 +0000

I’ve wanted to see such an SUV tax for a long time. Haven’t SUV drivers been getting *tax breaks* due to the light trucks loophole?

And to those whining about transporting their families, there’s a type of vehicle called a “mini-van” that gets better mileage, is less likely to flip over and is less likely to kill passengers in other vehicles if you hit them.

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:44:56 +0000

So I have to sell my 8 passenger SUV and buy two Saturns to haul my wife and six kids somewhere? Better yet, eight motorcycles (they get over 100 MPG), though I’m not sure what to do with the two year old. There are a lot of reasons to drive a larger vehicle, including passenger capacity, towing capacity, cargo capacity, safety, comfort (ride from Washington to Detroit in the back seat of a economy car), decent traction in snow, …

This is typical “government knows best stupidity”. I pay more for my truck, I pay more for my license plates, I buy more gas and therefore pay more in gas taxes. Those are the economic trade-offs I made when I decided to buy a truck instead of a tiny car.

By: Angela

Angela — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:44:00 +0000

The MA transportation overhaul idea is actually very long needed to reduce waste, corruption and redundancy. They are talking about consolidating agencies that have overlapping functions and their own power plays going on. MA politicians have tried to fix this problem in the past to no avail because of power issues. With the economic downturn and the fact that the MBTA has been giving us 25% rate hikes every 3 years while still not being able to properly keep up the infrastructure and run the trains on time, Patrick and the legislators who want to fix the problem might now have a chance. But we really do need a lot of infrastructure work and it’s hard keeping a subway system as old as ours running. So the tax combined with consolidating the agencies are intended to both help fix our remaining infrastructure problems and keep jobs going during the downturn. I’m behind the hummer tax. If someone wants to be that wasteful, they should put up some money to go towards the problems they are exacerbating, which will eventually have to be paid for collectively.

By: Melody

Melody — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:16:12 +0000

As I see it, states and localities already impose taxes on other lifestyle choices (e.g. tobacco and liquor). I would think a “Hummer Tax” should be fair game

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:58:36 +0000

Thanks! I do hope you’ll come back.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:57:48 +0000

Are you serious? Like Deval? Okay… And I thought Devan looked odd!

By: Christopher Ganiere

Christopher Ganiere — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:51:15 +0000

SUV owners already pay in higher gas taxes. Governments are already too big. I wonder if all those government SUVs will be sold or kept on “tax-free.”

There are already too many taxes. In fact in some locals they tax taxes. In others they stopped naming taxes and just give them numbers.

By: cb

cb — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:10:23 +0000

Kelly,

It’s Deval Patrick, with an “l.”

By: Boyd Thomas EA

Boyd Thomas EA — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:06:46 +0000

I would absolutely support such a bill.

By: Josh Maxwell

Josh Maxwell — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:00:05 +0000

I just stopped by your blog and thought I would say hello. I like your site design. Looking forward to reading more down the road.